Riders from every corner of the county gathered at the California Center for the Arts in Escondido last Saturday to embark on a motorcycle ride to raise money and bring awareness to support people impacted by dementia in San Diego County. This year was particularly special for us, as Alzheimer’s San Diego celebrates 10 years of serving the San Diego community as a 100% local nonprofit.
Our participants raised just over $100,000 to support our education classes, support groups, social activities, respite, and more that hundreds of San Diegans living with dementia and their unpaid caregivers rely on each and every year. Thank you to our community of dedicated Riders, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and After Party guests who made this event such a success.
Engines Revved and Kickstands Up
Bright and early Saturday morning, Riders began gathering at the starting line. There were plenty of hugs and laughter to go around as old friends and new acquaintances mingled with coffee and breakfast provided by our friends at Home Instead. After some words of encouragement from Clint August from 101.5 KGB and a quick safety briefing, the riders set off on their adventure. Seeing so many Riders take off and ride under the iconic Alzheimer’s San Diego arch is truly a sight to see (and hear). As HOG Rider BigPoppa puts it, “There’s just something powerful about a long line of bikes rolling together with purpose. The camaraderie, the stories shared at stops, the laughs, the support — that’s the stuff people remember long after the kickstands go up.”
Riding Through a New Part of San Diego County
To celebrate a decade of Alzheimer’s San Diego serving the community as a local nonprofit, the Riders embarked on a brand new 100-mile route through northeast San Diego County. The Riders enjoyed picturesque scenery as they rode through twists and turns around Palomar Mountain and past the shining Lake Henshaw. In Santa Ysabel, Riders stopped for a quick break and enjoyed refreshments provided by Meruelo Enterprises and Neal Electric before rolling through Ramona to reach the finish line at Kit Carson Park and enjoy the After Party celebration.
After Party Fun in the Sun
We couldn’t have asked for better weather to greet our Riders and guests as they arrived at Kit Carson Park for the After Party celebration. Clint August from 101.5 KGB emceed the event and Harmony Grove Band serenaded guests with groovy music as they enjoyed delicious tacos from Rudy’s Tacos and cold beer from Pizza Port. Congratulations to our raffle prize winners who walked away with fun prizes including an electric bike, San Diego Sockers tickets, Sycuan Casino and Resort overnight stay, at home wine tasting experience, and more. And to the top fundraising team of the event, the mighty San Diego Harley-Davidson Owners (HOGs), thank you so much for your support and we hope you enjoy another year with the Rides4ALZ Top Team trophy.
Thank you to all who came out to support the thousands of people who are currently living with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias and their unpaid caregivers in San Diego County. Check out all the photos from the event below.
Don’t miss out on our next fundraising event Walk4ALZ 2026 – our biggest event of the year! It will be held at Balboa Park on October 17th, 2026, and registration is now open. The annual Date with a Cure research forum is also coming up on August 1st – learn more here.
By Heidi Emmenegger
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